More unaccompanied children are taking dangerous crossings to Europe, UN says

By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, Oct 7 (Reuters) More than two-thirds of refugee and migrant children who reached Europe via Mediterranean and Balkan routes last year were unaccompanied, and many experienced exploitation, a report by UN agencies ​showed on Wednesday. While overall child arrivals by land and sea fell ‌25% from 2024 levels, the proportion travelling alone rose to 67%, from 51% in 2024, the report by the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR and UNICEF found. More than 20,000 of the 31,100 children who arrived in European countries including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain in 2025 ‌were ​recorded as unaccompanied or separated from a parent or ⁠guardian. More children arriving in Italy ⁠and Spain were unaccompanied 86% than those arriving in other countries. In Italy, there was a 12% increase in the number of children arriving many from Egypt, Eritrea, Bangladesh and Somalia. Poverty, conflict and environmental hazards are among the reasons